Categories: uncategorized
Date: 22 March 2005 13:23:05
I have recently come into contact with two people who are the friendliest, most accepting people I know. They are so nice to everyone in a very natural way; he in an out-going Aussie bloke, drinking beer kinda way, without any of the machoism, or put downs, and she in a very quiet, listening kinda way. I've never heard them speak the name 'Jesus' but they are Christ-like in their desire to treat people kindly, accept people, be full of life and volunteer their time to good causes.
Now how is it, that the good little evangelical protestants who grew up in the church, and I include myself in this, seem to be incapable of being welcoming and friendly and having a normal conversation. We always seem to be not saying something. Maybe we're so sheltered, we're in culture shock when we enter the outside world. Maybe it's the pressure to 'convert' people. Maybe we're looking for all those links to God that according to every good evangelism course, just pop up in normal conversation. Except that even in church, I still feel that people are holding something back, like their real self.
Last year I trotted off to do some study, and thanks to the deliberate efforts of my lecturer, I interacted with the most amazing people. People I had been taught to be afraid of, because of their 'sinful' lifestyle, strange clothes, and bad language. I guess it was like being thrust into a new culture. I've said this before, but once I learnt that people are people, just like me, regardless of how they dress, or how close they are to Jesus, it became easier for me to accept, and _like_ people as they are. I don't even feel the need to bring Jesus into every conversation, as it seems John Wesley did. And I feel free to listen to people's spiritual experiences, without thinking that they're wrong, or I need to change them. I do want to introduce everyone to Jesus, but I guess now I'm happier for him to shine, and for him to take care of everything else later. Of course, tomorrow God will give me a new challenge, and I'll prove that I've got a long way to go before I'm accepting of people. It's two steps forward, one step back (hopefully it's only one step back). Not to mention, that it's one thing to like people, and quite another to build a relationship with them. Still working on that one, still holding back.
I did a very small easter thing today with my community group today. The community group that's converting me, teaching me how to interact with people. We ate hot cross buns, chatted about why we eat them. I had a candle in a glass egg shape. When you put the lid on, you watch the flame slowly die. One lady commented that Easter makes more sense in the northern hemisphere, when it occurs at a time when everything in nature is just getting ready to burst into life. Isn't that an amazing observation.